Re: Why Martin?

Is Smoker going to be another Kirk Farmer or Joe Germaine? I really don't know much about the guy other than the fact that he's a potential-guy. Not as remote of a shot as say...Drew Hensen (8 college games started!!!) but I think he's just wishful thinking by the Rams management. If he's not good enough to put in against Arizona over Chandler and a guy off the streets then I don't know why he's even around. Practice squad/camp arms aren't that hard to come by are they? Hell, I'll do it for 3 hots and a cot.

Re: Why Martin?

Maybe Martin had a better grip of the offense than Smoker does at this point? While Martin was a street free agent, let's not forget he was with this team for a while before hand. Maybe Smoker just isn't catching on as quickly as we expect him to. It's hard to say.

Re: Why Martin?

with a chance for playoffs, maybe putting in a rookie was a bad idea, he thinks. But in hindsight, I think it would be good for him to sample the pressure for a game or 2, I mean come on, even if we were headind fore the playoffs, IMHO we aint bowl material, would a done the boy good.

Re: Why Martin?

I grew up near and played in the same High School league as Jeff Smoker. He's a good kid and although he had that small problem at MSU, he really came through when given that second chance.
I myself have been wondering why Smoker didn't get his shot to play, especially when he was listed as the #2 on the depth chart this week. He worked some magic at MSU in some comebacks. I thought the guy at least deserved a shot to play.
Anyway...i think you at least have a good #2 for the future in Smoker. I like his potential.

Re: Why Martin?

Originally Posted by JTrotterFan

I grew up near and played in the same High School league as Jeff Smoker. He's a good kid and although he had that small problem at MSU, he really came through when given that second chance.
I myself have been wondering why Smoker didn't get his shot to play, especially when he was listed as the #2 on the depth chart this week. He worked some magic at MSU in some comebacks. I thought the guy at least deserved a shot to play.
Anyway...i think you at least have a good #2 for the future in Smoker. I like his potential.

Agreed. He will be a good #2, maybe even starter within another 3 or 4 years. I don't know that I would read a lot into this. If I may speculate a little, this sounds like a situation where Martz said, at the beginning of the year, that Smoker holds a clipboard this season unless there's an emergency (ie. every QB on the roster and Faulk get injured in the same game). Martin is probably the result of Martz holding to his original decree. I'm just hypothesizing here, but it does sound like something he'd do. Smoker was the first QB (to be used as QB) that Martz has drafted, maybe he wants to "redshirt" him for his rookie season, give him time.

"Before the gates of excellence the high gods have placed sweat; long is the road thereto and rough and steep at first; but when the heights are reached, then there is ease, though grievously hard in the winning." --- Hesiod

Re: Why Martin?

Maybe we're selling Martz short. Maybe he DOES learn. Maybe Smoker is SO GOOD that if Martz put him in, and Smoker did well, Martz would have to keep his starter benched the rest of the year, and kick him to the curb next year! Maybe Martz didn't want to do that again.. :smug:

Re: Why Martin?

My question relates more to Martz than Smoker at this point. If the offense is so complex that a successful college qb can't come in and learn it enough by week 13 to play in case of emergency(which is exactly where the Rams were. Starting qb out with injury, backup qb a total mess for uncomfirmed reasons. If you lose your first 2 qb's then it's emergency time.)

Actually, the fact that Chandler apparently couldn't learn the offense either just accentuates my question. If a 15 year vet, nor the rookie are able to pick up the offense after a full training camp and 13 regular season games then something is wrong.

My dream replacement at this point is Al Saunders. If the Rams ran the same offense as KC is running now...hoo-boy! They have Priest and Johnson, we have Faulk and Jackson. They have Green we have Bulger. They have Gonzo, we have...okay, forget that comparison. They're line is probably better than ours but I'm holding out judgement until I get to see our guys run a solid gameplan from training camp. But, the coups de gras, we have Holt, Bruce, McDonald, etc., they have Kennison(!) and Morton. Our wr's are so far and away better than KC's that the Rams would put up 500 points without any sweat.